Man Receives Life Sentence For Killing Friend Over Argument About Mayonnaise

An Iowa man’s argument with a friend over mayonnaise resulted in a fatal hit-and-run, which has landed him in prison for life.

Kristofer Erlbacher, 29, of Woodbine was convicted of first-degree murder Monday, for the death of his friend, Caleb Solberg, 30, according to the New York Post. Investigators said a brawl broke out between the two, following which Erlbacher used his pickup truck to run over Solberg twice.

Erlbacher and Solberg were eating and drinking together at a bar in Moorhead on the night Solberg was killed on Dec. 17, 2020. A heated argument erupted after Erlbacher spread mayo over Solberg’s food. “Solberg did not like Erlbacher messing with his food, so he punched Erlbacher,” stated District Court Judge Greg W. Steensland’s verdict, as per Woodbine Twiner-Herald.

Erlbacher left the bar in a fit of rage and called Solberg’s half-brother, Craig Pryor, to complain about the incident. Along with another friend, Erlbacher made his way to Dave’s Old Home in Pisgah, where Pryor also arrived.

Another fight was brewing among the group as Solberg also arrived at the café. This is when the 29-year-old jumped into his pickup truck and rammed into Pryor’s vehicle twice, after which Pryor left the scene. However, the fight did not end there.

The tense moments ended with Erlbacher later using his pickup truck to crash into Solberg, who then began screaming for Pryor.

“Rather than just leave, Erlbacher went down the street, turned around, and came back to strike Solberg a second time,” the verdict stated. Erlbacher then ran over Solberg once more before finally leaving the scene.

As Erlbacher drove away, he called Pryor to tell him he had killed his half-brother. “We won’t have to worry about his mouth anymore. I would have got you too, but I kind of like your kids,” Erlbacher told Pryor, according to the verdict.

The man was eventually arrested and convicted after a bench trial last December, the Associated Press reported. Prior to his Monday sentence, Erlbacher unsuccessfully tried to reduce the charge to second-degree murder by claiming he acted recklessly under the influence of alcohol and did not intend to kill his friend.